Automatic safety valve



Sept. 22, 1931.

c. D. B'ULLARD 1,824,072

AUTOMATIC SAFETY VALVE Filed Sept. 22, 1930 llli alland Patented Sept.22, 1931 unirsi) STATES CHAIPLEY D. BULLARD, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANAAUTOMATIC SAFETY VALVE Application led September 22, 1930, Serial No.483,692.

The present invention relates to improvements in automatic safety valvesand has for an object to provide an improved valve adapted to shut-oifautomatically on fall in pressure whereby escaping gas or other noxiousand harmful fluids will be prevented from subsequently passing throughthe valve.

Another object of the invention lis to produce a simple and economicalform of valve and combined shut-od in which, after closing, the valvewill be locked against opening except when released by hand.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed outin the claim appended hereto.

1n the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a vertical secti on taken through an improved shut-oft'valve constructed accordin g to the present invention and with the partsin closed position.

Figure 2 is a similar view with the parts in the open position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 represents a disc orother type of valve adapted to close against the valve seat 6 formed ina diaphragm having a port 7 through which the gas o1" other materialpasses in the direction indicated by the arrow from a source of supplyat the left of the valve body 8.

rlhe valve 5 is carried upon a stem 9 which has loose play through aneck 10 which is secured, as by a bonnet nut 11, to the valve body andsupports t-he lower diaphragm case 12. ln this case is supported aHeXible diaphragm 13 which is coupled tothe stem 9 as by the use of acollar 14 and a nut 15 threaded upon such stem 9. In the upper end ofthe stem is a socket 16 for receiving theconical nose 17 of an adjustingmember 18 which is threaded as indicated at 19 and threadedly engagesthrough an inwardly extending boss 2O upon the closed top 21 of theupper diaphragm case 22.

The latter case 22 is provided with an outturned ange 23 at its loweropen to mate with an in-turned flange 24 at the upper open end of thelower case 12. The two flanges may be secured togetherby rivets or otherap propriate fastenings 25, which may serve the further purpose ofholding the diaphragm 13 55 in place. y.

Between the shoulder 14 and nuty l5 there may be provided washers orplates 26 for embracingopposite sides of the diaphragm 13 and to one ofthese washers or to the nut 15 60 orother part moving with the diaphragmis pivotally secured one member 27 ofV a toggle lever. The upper togglemember 28. is of course pivotedto. the upper end ofthe lower togglemember 27. Such upper toggle member 28 is received atuits upper 'endwithin a recess 29 of the boss 20, and it is pivoted to such j bosswithin the recess. A light coil spring 30 is coupled between the togglemember 28 just above the intermediate joint 31 and a wall ofthe upperdiaphragm case 22.

` The toggle joint or lever 27, 28 constitutes a locking device, and asecond toggle, composed ofthe members 32 and 33, is provided for,opening and closing the locking toggle joint. The member 32 of therelease toggle is coupled at one end to the pivotal point 31 of thelocking toggle and at its other end both to the companion toggle member33 and to an operating rod 34 that extends up through an opening 35inthe top 21V of the upper diaphragm case 22. v

` A ring or other manipulating handle 36 is provided upon the exteriorend of the rod 34 beneath the hand wheel 37 for operating the 80 screwadjusting rod 18. The other end of the toggle member 33 is pivoted tothe case 22. v

In the operation 'of the device, gas or other fluid will lowthrough thevalve body 8 in the direction indicated bythe arrow toward gas burnersor other destination. When the valve is open, as indicated in Figure 2,the gas will ascend up about the valve 5.and will pass up through theneck ll0 int-o the lower diaphragm case 12so that the diaphragm case 13will be subject-ed to the fluid pressure, which will tend to maintainthe diaphragm and valve in the raisedposition so long as the pressureobtains., v -v vShould the pressure fall for any reason,

which fall in pressure would be attended by the extinguishing of gasburners, then upon subsequent re-establishment of pressure, the valve 5would ordinarily beopened and the gas would be permitted to flow to theburners and escape into the surrounding room causing noxious odors, andprobably asphyxiating those present.

The improved safety device will effectually lock the valve 5 in theclosed position' should any such reductionin pressure occur as toextinguish the burners and thus prevent a re-establishment of pressureoperating to open the valve 5., When the diaphragm 13 and the valve 5are in the closed position, as indicated in Figure 1, the toggle lock27, 28 will assume the vertical position in which the members are inalignment. The light spring 30 will tend to move the parts to thisposition.

Moreover, the operating toggle 32, 33 is also in a locked condition andwill tend to prevent the diaphragm 13 from rising and the valve 5 fromopening until such time as the toggle lock is broken by manuallygrasping and raising the rod 34. The pulling up of the rod 34 will breakthe toggle 32, 33 and at the same time alsov break the locking toggle27, 28, raising the valve 5 from its seat and permitting theestablishment of pressure below the diaphragm 13 such as will hold theparts in the open position until an unlooked for reduction in pressureoccurs.

Y When the spring 30 is in the position shown in Figure 2 it islslightly stretched but the tension is not suflicient to overcome'the gaspressure below the diaphragm 13. Y Theaction of the central spring v30tends to straighten the toggle. v

The valve 5 may be closed by rotating the hand wheel 37.A The closing ofthe valve through the hand wheel alsovacts to close the locking toggle.The locking toggle will of course hold the valve closed when theadjusting member 18 is released. This member 18 may also act to adjust thedegree or port area to which the valve 5 may open,

It will be appreciated that the device be used in connection withvarious gases, fluids `and also perhaps some solids, such as flour, etc.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in thedetails of construction and design of the above specifically describedembodiment of this inventionwithout departingfrom the spiritthereof,such changes and modificationsY being restricted only by the scope ofthe following claim:

What is claimed is A In combination with a movable valve, a

diaphragm secured to move therewith and subject to the pressure ,of thefluid lowing past said valve, a toggle joint secured to said diaphragmand to a fixed part and adapted to lool; the valvepin the closedposition, a light spring connected to said lockingtoggle and mayv aiixed part for tending to move the toggle into locked position, anoperating toggle extending at substantially right angles to the firstmentioned toggle and connected thereto at its central pivotal point andto a fixed part, and an operating rod connected to the intermediatepivot point of the operating toggle.

CHIPLEY D. BULLARD.

